Rodney rogers, a former โขNBA player โขknown for a โstunning nine-second scoring burst during his rookie season and his 2000 Sixth Man of the Year award, hasโค died โขat theโ age of 54, โขthe National Basketball Players Association โ(NBPA)โ announced Friday. Theโ cause of death was not immediately disclosed.
Rogers starred at Wake Forest University, earning ACC Player of the Year โฃhonors in 1993 and being named a first-team All-American that sameโค year. Drafted ninth overall by the Denver Nuggets in 1994, Rogers quickly โคmade โขan impact, most memorably with a remarkableโ sequence against theโ Utah Jazz in February of his rookie season.Trailing by eightโ points with just 37 seconds remaining, rogers scored nine points -โข on three consecutive 3-point shots – in under nine seconds to briefly give Denver the leadโข before ultimately falling โข96-95 after a game-winningโ jumper by Jeff malone.
beyond that iconic moment, โขRogers enjoyedโฃ a nine-year โNBA career, also playing forโฃ the Los Angeles Clippers, Phoenix suns, โBostonโ Celtics, New Jersey Nets, New Orleans Hornets, andโค Philadelphia 76ers. He achieved his โฃgreatest professional success โคwith the โSuns in the 1999-2000 season, averaging 13.8 points โคper game and earning the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award.
“The โlast 17 years have been both challenging โand profoundly blessed,”โค the โNBPA statement read. “Through every moment, rodney remained โขa light -โ positive,โฃ motivated, and full of the quiet strength that inspired everyone around him.”
Rogers is survived by his wife, Faye; hisโข children, Roddreka, Rodneyโ Rogers II, and Rydeiahm; his mother, Estelle Spencer; and Eric Hipilito, whom Rogers embraced as a son.
